High rate thermophilic composting of animal wastes with added carbonaceous waste materials followed by land application has considerable potential as a means of treatment and useful final disposal of these wastes. The process described in this report utilizes a mechanically mixed, thoroughly aerated, thermophilic first stage in which the readily available carbonaceous materials are utilized by bacteria during the stabilization of the nitrogenous wastes. This is followed by a curing period in which the hollocellulose is partially decomposed principally by fungi. The compost may then be added to soil. The testing of the compost's effect of plant growth was done in three phases. The first phase involved spreading the compost over grass as a top-dressing; the second was a greenhouse study using tomatoes, wheat, millet, and beans; while the third was a field test on tomato crops. In all three tests, the compost exhibited significant beneficial effects. The mulching experiment yielded increases in the dry weights of grasses of up to 57 percent over the control. The greenhouse experiments showed increases in dry weights of up to 400 percent for tomatoes and wheat over the control. Field studies, indicated that, both the tomato size and total yield over the growing season increased with increasing compost application.

This study was conducted in cooperation with U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Consumer Protection and Environmental Health Service Environmental Control Administration. Includes bibliographical references (pages 92-95). Prepared by North Carolina State University, under grant no. Contract Number: 00270.